This morning, we were just having our breakfast and Amanda stopped by the table for a chat and to see if we had any plans for today. We had only planned to do more of what we'd done yesterday... absolutely nothing. Then she told us that two of the couples had arranged for a trip, that was tailored to them out on the boat, and snorkelling. Deciding to go with it, we said we'd love to go.
RV point was the reception, and when we arrived just before 1000hrs, there was quite the crowd there waiting to go. 13 of us in the end. Once everyone was assembled we were issued with masks and snorkels to use out in the trip. There were a few short, but Si and I shared ours. Several on the trip had their own gear anyway which helped the resorts kit go a bit further. Due to the numbers we were able to take the big boat out instead of the smaller one. We still had to transfer from the smaller boat onto the bigger one, but I think I'm getting pretty good at this boating thing, and nailed it first time!
With everyone onboard, we headed for the first location. Everyone was really excited for it, an unusual amount of enthusiasm for sure. When we arrived, peeping out of the ocean before us lay the most beautiful sandbar. It has been used in films and TV series, and is located just off Castaway Island. The water surrounding it, is like nothing I have ever seen before, the most beautiful colours over the deeper water and corals and absolutely crystal clear in the shallows. To my delight the ocean was clear enough for me to see the corals without going in the water. The colours were so vibrant and vivid beneath the lily pond calm ocean, and there was cascades of it tumbling over the drop off and out of sight. I didn't go in because it was a really long swim to the sandbar from the coral, and would have been swimming against the tide. The guys dropped me and Shelley off a bit closer to the sand bar so we could swim out from there and see there and view the Ocean life. As we were swimming with the tide it wasn't quite so tricky for me. Even though it was a really calm day, I could feel the current pulling against me when I turned back towards the sandbar. Si had got off with the rest and was fortunate to see some glorious coral on the drop off, just masses of it and beautiful iridescent colours, just like you see on the tv. So for him to be able to see it so vibrantly coloured with his own eyes was simply amazing. The water was warm and clear, so much so even I, little miss I don't like going in water that isn't bath temperature or higher got straight in without so much as a gasp or sharp intake of breath. We could see several metres as it was so clear, and I was an awful long way off from touching the bottom. Rather surprising to me, I was actually really enjoying myself! In the Ocean! I was reassured beforehand that the only sharks we'd see were harmless reef sharks. I chose to believe them on this occasion
We had lots of time to explore the coral, and Si was living his best life, loads of brilliant blue starfish, rays, reef sharks and some pretty little fishies. I could see some fish, but not the amount of coral he did. I'm considering taking swimming lessons because I feel I've missed out on some spectacular things due to my brick like swimming abilities. If I had been a stronger swimmer I would have been able to swim in from where the coral drop off into the deep water is right into the sandbar. My feeble attempts would get me nowhere. What we saw today surpasses anything we saw on the barrier reef for colour quantity and variation. Also it appears to be far healthier than what we saw on the Barrier reef. Although, that could well have been because the water wasn't as clear and visibility was poor. It also surpasses anything that Si has ever seen previously when diving and snorkelling. That has made me very happy.
Danny called us all back to the boat and we set off for our next destination, Mana Island. From there we could see the uninhabited boot shaped Island of Modriki, where the movies Castaway and Blue Lagoon were filmed. The waters around Mana looked particularly deep and the drop off was the attraction for some of the guys. I couldn't see the bottom and was content just to sit on the back of the boat and dangle my feet on the water for this part. Si went and said although there was a lot of marine life and coral, and again really healthy it was much better at the first stop by the sandbar. Everyone conceded that was the case but it had been interesting for them to dive down the drop off and see the deeper coral that you wouldn't normally see because generally the visibility is poorer the deeper you go. The astonishingly clear water around Fiji and its Islands makes for some pretty amazing experiences and has created some absolutely wonderful memories for us, and we are only a few days in!
From there we went to Mociu island also known as honeymoon island, a privately owned island that you aren't allowed to set foot on. It has security guard in a boat making sure you don't set foot on it, all a bit James Bond isn't it? However, in 2018 the Maliki Islands secured a lease on it and as part of their Island activities they will take you for picnics or snorkelling around it for a fee. All fishing, and shell collecting from the area is banned by order of the marine chief and it's a bit of a marine research area. That aside, can you imagine the job description for the guard role. You will sit in a small boat just off a very small island from dawn until dusk and in all weathers! You will also smile whilst doing it. The fine for landing on Honeymoon Island is 1 million Fiji dollars, which we don't have so it's safe to say we stayed away. Again, the water was crystal clear and Si encouraged me to take the first splash with the snorkel and mask. I grabbed me a noodle and eased into the water. Again, it was like a bath and really really good. There wasn't so much as a ripple on the ocean which for me was perfect. And I could just about see the bottom so was feeling confident. I opted for noodle over life jacket because I was a bit restricted in the jacket, and kept ending up on my back which wasn't ideal when I was trying to look beneath me. The whole of the island is surrounded with coral, and again just utterly magical, brilliant blue coral that looked like stags antlers, bright yellow clumps of waving fronds, violet stag coral, pinks and oranges bouquets, flat yellow flying saucer corals,, all appearing a little bit otherworldly in their uniqueness. The fish were as colourful as the coral and they were darting in and out over and under it oblivious to my very noisy splashing. It was so warm in the ocean, then all of a sudden we swam through a really chilly bit. Earlier on I had been splashing around doing my thing and swam through a really warm bit, I had to check around me because I thought someone had had a wee right next to me. It wasn't wee, it was just a really hot bit of water, like really hot!
I was really grateful for my lenses I could see everything beneath me so clearly. The mask leaked a little bit but I could still see more than I ever expected. Si joined me in the ocean and had a turn with the mask. It was nice to be there together and seeing it, pointing out the various things to each other. I'm thinking we'll definitely be back to Fiji, it's stunning both underwater and on land. The islands are many, and the fact that there are plenty that are pretty easily accessible from the main island is a bonus. Maybe next time we'd go to a more remote one although this one is pretty much perfect. For this trip, we didn't fancy a four hour boat ride to one of the further Islands, as a taster Serenity Island is perfect both in location and its simplicity, it has retained a traditional feel. I really hope that it will hang onto that precious commodity and not commercialise itself too much. There are no shops, or anything, and we really love that about it.
The boys stared to round us all up ready to go back to Serenity. I got a bit concerned at one point that they were going to forget Si and I because we were so far behind the rest of them, however I had a bright yellow noodle so I was dead easy to spot in the water. They came back for us, good eggs that they are. The boat ride back seemed to go really fast and I think everyone was on a high from the spectacle that Mother Nature provided for us to view under the waves. We came back to Serenity from the opposite side to what we went out, I had sat myself on the other side of the boat because I couldn't get a clear picture on the outbound journey. My cunning plan was scuppered completely by us coming in the other way. I was on the wrong side of the bloody boat again. Idiot.
When we disembarked at the Island we all went to the bar and Susie, made the strongest strawberry Daiquiri, it made my eyes water! Si stuck with a beer, which I suspect may have been a relatively safer option. As it was I restricted myself to just the one because I am pretty certain it was quadruple strength if not stronger.
A lot of the people on the trip were all inclusive and went into lunch. Si and I could have chosen off the menu but we weren't hungry surprisingly. We had a brilliant morning, and the staff all went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed every moment. The trip wasn't one they usually run but it had been requested by John and Rick and the trip sorter outer said if they could get 10 people they would do it for 100$fijian. As far as Si and I were concerned it was far better value for money than our whitsunday Island and Whitehaven beach trip, and being a lot smaller group played a massive part in that I think. The guys on the boat were knowledgeable and clearly love the ocean, Danny had given up his day off to go out on the boat with us because he loves the sandbar trip. I was impressed with the way they kept an eye on everyone, and also the thoughtfulness of them. They truly are rather special people.
1500hrs was coffee and cookie time, except they weren't cookies, we had chocolate cake. Warm and just out of the oven. Bloody good too, a light dusting of icing sugar on the top finished it off a treat. I was going to be really disciplined with the cake, but the whole discipline shit went right out the window for warm chocolate cake!
Once we'd finished our afternoon tea, we rumbled off towards the Bure. My eyes started to really burn, the ocean seems to be waaaaay more salty in Fiji, and my lenses were a little bit irritated by the water that had leaked into them via the mask. The relief on getting them out was simply divine. They were pretty bloodshot for a few hours but a gallon of drops sorted them eventually. Si doesn't seem to have had the same issue as I had, but then he can quite easily wear a pair of lenses to bed with no ill effects whatsoever!
All the fresh ocean air, and swimming made me a little on the tired side, and I thought a little nanna nap would sort it. Yup, it sorted it alright, I slept for 15 hours! I was only disturbed by the occasional thudding of a ripe coconut hitting the floor during the night. A rather splendid day it has to be said!
Much love
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